Clutch mechanism.



@Q (o l N C N ,Pat-@mung 14,1917'.

PATENT ounICE.`

ROBERT B. IVICWHIRTER, OF MARIETTA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO LEIDECKER TOOL COMPANY,

OF MARIETTA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OE WEST`VIRGINIA.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug.1a, 1917.

Application led January 13, 1916. VSerial 1\To. 71,957.

Mechanism, of which the following is a.

speciication.

My invention relates to an improvement in hoisting mechanism for well-drilling machinery, and it consists in means for clutching and unclutching the drum or spool upon which the cable, to which the tools are attached, is wound.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan viewpartly in section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the position of the lever relative to the crank shaft.

The numeral 1 represents a reel-shaft journaled in bearings 2, of which only one is shown, secured to the pillow-block 3 bolted to the I-beams 4, 4.` The drum 5 is mounted on the shaft 1. A reel-flange 6 has its hub 7 keyed to the reel-shaft 1, and has a reel-disk 8 secured thereto. There are, of course, two of these reel-disks 8 at either end of the drum 5, although only one is shown.

A sprocket-wheel 9 is loosely mounted on the hub 7 of the reel-flange contiguous to the reel-flange. Holes 10, 11 and 12 are formed respectively in the sprocket-wheel 9, the reel-flange 6, and the reel-disk 8. Pins 13 are carried by a ring 14 which is loosely received within an annular groove 14 formed in the periphery of the clampingrings 15, 15', the pins 13 and the ring 14 serve to centrally locate the rings 15, 15. Thereare preferably four of these pins, as there are of the sets of holes 10, 11 and 12 equidistantly located on the ring 14, although only three show in Fig. 1.

Rods 16 are screwed or otherwise 'secured to the rings 15, 15. The rods 16 are each provided with a collar 17, and screw-threaded inner end 18 which screws into correspondingly threaded holes in the inner clamping-ring 15, in that way drawing'the two clamping-rings rigidly 4together with the pin-ring 14 between them, and also rigidly securing the rods 16 to the clampingrings, thus the rods 16,v clamping [rings 15-15, pin ring 14 together with pins 13 are adapted to move as practically one elel ment. v

Spring-pocketslQ are mortised in the pillow-block so that their two inner bores fit the rods 16 and collars'17 respectively, as shown in Fig. 1, and confine the spiral .springs 20, the tension of which 'normally causes the pins 13 to clutch the reel-flange and reel-disk to the sprocket-wheel.

The sprocket-wheel is driven by a sprocketchain (not shown) and is constantly rotating in one direction, and when the parts are clutched togetherv its motion is transmitted tothe reel-shaft 1, which carries the drum 5, reel-liange 6, and reel-disk 8. The clutchpins 13, 13, are withdrawn in any approved manner, for instance by the cross-bar 21, the opposite ends of which are held by nuts 22, 22, on the rods 16, 16, and a lever 2,3

fulcrumed at its upper end `on an arm 24 bolted to the pillow-block (as shown in Fig. 2)' is pivotally connected to the vcenter of thecross-bar 21, as at 25. l y This lever 23 is Aoperated and controlled by crank-shaft 26 eXtending'along side the I-beam girders 4, 4and this crank-shaft has a crank-arm 27, the outer end of which is connected to one end of lever 23 by the link 28. This arm 27 and link 28 act as a toggle joint, and are locked when the parts are in the position shown in the drawings, which is the unclutched position of the clutch-pins, and means the compression of the springs 20, which is the position of lowering the cable, the movement of the drum being controlled by the brake (not shown).

To clutch the sprocket to the drum or reel and reel-shaft, it is simply necessary to turn the shaft 26 in a reverse direction, thus breaking the lock of the toggle-joint, whereupon the tension of the spring 20 is sufficient to cause the clutch-pins 13, 13, to automatically enter the holes 12, 12, to hold the pins there as soon as the several holes 10, y11 and 12 come into registry.

and the sprocket is started, thus imparting the motion of the sprocket to the spool or drum.

l. Hoisting mechanism for well-drilling machinery comprising a reel-shaft, a reel spool or drum, a reel flange rigidly mounted on the shaft and reel-disks carried thereby, a drive-wheel rotatably mounted on the hub of the reel flange, spring-actuated pins carried thereby in position to automatically lock the drive-wheel to the reel-flange when the two are in a predetermined relative position.

2. In hoisting mechanism for well-drilling machinery, the combination of a. reel or drum, a drive-wheel, a pin-ring and pins carried thereby which slide into holes formed in the reel and drive-wheel for locl'ing the two together, spring-actuated rods connected with said ring, lever mechanism for moving the rods in one direction, and means for locking the rods against the action of the springs.

3. In hoisting mechanism for well-drilling machinery, the combination of a reel and drive-wheel, means for clutching and unclutching said parts, a ring to which said means are connected, spring-actuated rods connected to said ring, a cross-bar connecting said rods, a lever ulcrumed on a support and connected to the cross-bar, a rock shaft, and a toggle-joint extending between the shaft and the lever, thereby swinging the latter and locking it against the action of the spring.

1l. In hoisting mechanism for well-drilling machinery, the combination of a reel, a

Cogles of. this patent may be obtained.y for drive-wheel, pins for connecting the two together and releasing them, a pin-ring con- 'necting the pins, clamping-rings, rods having collars thereon, and screw-threaded at one end to secure the clamping-rings together and confine the pin-ring therebetween, spring pockets through which the rods pass, a spring confined in the pockets between one end thereof and the collar on the rods, and means connecting the rods and for actuating them simultaneously in opposition to the tension of the springs to control 'the position of the pins.

5. In hoisting mechanism Jfor well-drilling machinery, the combination of a reel, a drive-wheel, pins for connecting the two together and releasing them, a pin-ring connecting the pins, clamping-rings, rods having collars thereon, and screw-threaded at one end to secure the clamping-rings together and conine the pin-ring therebetween, spring-poclets through which the rods pass, a spring confined in the pockets between one end thereof and the collar on the rods, means connecting 'the rods and for actuating them simultaneously in opposition to the tension of the springs to control the position of the pins, means for locking said parts comprising Ia rock-shaft, and a togglejoint extending from the shaft to the means which actuates the rods. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK SKIPTON.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of- Patents, Washington, D. C. 

